An Elf's Discovery
by Sailor Elf
Summary: Haldir decides to take a walk in the Mirkwood forest while his lord and lady talk to the king. It proves to be a fatal mistake when he is ambushed by several strange figures and taken prisoner. Takes place after 'War of the Pranks'
1. A Walk in the Forest

Disclaimer - No one from Lord of the Rings belongs to me. No way, no how. Nanaylia's mine and any others you don't recognize.

Sunmmary - Haldir decides to take a walk in the Mirkwood forest while his lord and lady talk to the king. It proves to be a fatal mistake when he is ambushed by several strange figures and taken prisoner. (Takes place after 'War of the Pranks')

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An Elf's Discovery

Haldir walked through the gardens near the Mirkwood palace. Celeborn and Galadriel were waiting to talk to Thranduil in his study so he decided to head outside. He soon heard giggling coming from nearby and he turned his head to see who it was. Once he saw Elladan, Elrohir and Legolas crouching behind a bush, hehad a reason to worry. They appeared to be looking at something and once he followed their gaze, his fears were confirmed.

"There they are again, setting up traps against Arwen and Nanaylia," Haldir muttered. "If it isn't the Mayhem of Mirkwood against the Winless Wonders, it's the brother versus sister. If not either of those scenarios, something totally different."

He soon gave an evil smile as he headed over to Arwen and Nanaylia, pretending as if he never noticed the twins and Legolas.

"Arwen, I have a question for you," Haldir called over to them.

"Certainly Haldir. What would you like to know?" Arwen replied.

"It's something I need to show you so please, come with me," Haldir replied.

He motioned for her to follow him, to which she did. Nanaylia stayed behind for a moment, wondering what that was all about before she hurried after Arwen and Haldir. Once she caught up with them, Haldir gave a wide grin. He didn't bother to turn around to see Legolas, Elladan and Elrohir move out into the open and groan.

"That Haldir. He ruined our fun," Elladan said.

"You think he saw us or something like that?" wondered Elrohir.

The three glanced at each other and shook their heads.

"No," the three said in unison.

They soon found they spoke too soon when Haldir twirled around and notched an arrow. He released it, hitting the rope that held up the bag of mud. It splattered all over the three and they stared at Haldir in disbelief. Nanaylia and Arwen both looked over them and started to laugh.

"What was that for?" demanded Legolas.

"Why are you asking me that now? You were about to do the same thing to the two young ladies standing next to me," Haldir protested.

"Good thinking Haldir. They deserved that for all they've done to us," Arwen told him, a laugh still in her voice.

Haldir nodded in agreement, a smile still on his face but it soon disappeared once he heard footsteps behind him. He turned around to see Celeborn, Galadriel and Thranduil standing there, angry looks on their faces.

"What is going on here?" Celeborn demanded to know. "Why is one of my best elves doing something like this?"

"It wasn't his fault Grandfather. Legolas, Elladan and Elrohir planned it all. Haldir just stopped it," Arwen explained.

Galadriel slightly laughed as she glanced over at her husband.

"We should know these 'children' by now Celeborn. They love playing pranks against each other. We shouldn't really complain that Haldir stepped in before someone got hurt," Galadriel asked him.

"As much as I'm used to this type of thing, I still don't like the idea sometimes. All of you have gotten hurt to some degree before," Thranduil told them.

"Sorry," the three apologized at once.

Haldir gave a small smirk as he watched the three grumble. Elrohir crossed his arms and snorted.

"Hope the gargoyles find him. He'd fit right it with them," Elrohir absently said.

Legolas looked horrifed at the statement. Elrohir held his breath for a second, realizing why Legolas was so scared.

"Sorry Legolas. I shouldn't have said that," Elrohir apologized.

"That's right, you shouldn't have. No one should joke about the gargoyles. No elf should be told the gargoyles should find them," Legolas said with anger in his voice. "I hate them for what they did to her, my father and to myself."

Elrohir backed away from the growling Legolas, not wanting to be in his path if he did decide to do something. Haldir laughed at the scene. He turned towards Thranduil, Galadriel and Celeborn and bowed slightly.

"If I may, I would like to take some time to marvel the forests of Mirkwood while you continue your talks," Haldir told them.

Celeborn and Thranduil glanced at each other, each giving a nod in reply.

"Yes, you may," Celeborn replied.

"Just be warned. You know there are dangerous creatures out there. I don't know if there are anymore gargyoles out there but you should be careful of them just the same. Would you like to have someone accompany you?" Thranduil warned him.

"No, thank you. I am fine. I do not intend to go far or be very long," Haldir replied.

"All right then, take care," Celeborn said.

Haldir nodded before heading out towards the trees. Legolas carefully watched him with a worried look. Inwardly, he hoped there were no more gargoyles in the forest.

_'I wish he wanted to have someone with him,'_ Legolas thought.

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Haldir gave a deep breath as he walked past the trees. He felt that he needed some alone time after the most recent events and dealing with the twins and their antics.

"Sometimes, it feels good to get away from those two. They give me more stress than anyone else," Haldir quietly said.

He walked into a small clearing and saw there was a pond nearby. He walked up to pond and knelt beside it. He placed a hand into the water and splashed his face. Haldir thought about the king's warning about the gargoyles.

_'Maybe I should have brought someone with me. Either that or not come out here at all but I wanted to see the forest,'_ Haldir thought. "I'm heading back before anything does happen."

The elf stood up and started to turn around when he thought he saw movement reflectedin the water. That worried him greatly so he started to head back but someone stopped him before he could head any further. Haldir gasped once he saw what it was.

"What's the rush, elf? Are you in a hurry?" he wondered.

"Who are you?" Haldir asked.

He pulled out his bow and an arrow, aiming it at the gargoyle who stopped him. He stepped towards the elf and snickered.

"You should know that it's totally useless at the moment," he said.

With a snap of the fingers, Haldir soon found himself surrounded by gargoyles and restrained, his bow and quiver thrown into a heap nearby.

"We're going to have some fun with you. Allow me to officially welcome you to the forests of Mirkwood. Particularly the Dark Forest," the lead gargoyle said as he walked up to Haldir.

The gargoyle balled up his fist and the next thing Haldir knew was darkness.

TBC...


	2. Introductions

Sorry for such a long time between updates. Hope you enjoy the chapter!

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Haldir heard voices coming from all around him. He slightly opened his eyes to find that he was in a clearing with several strange creatures milling about. A fire was blazing in the middle of the area with several people standing around it.

_'Where am I? It doesn't look like I'm in Mirkwood's forests anymore so where could they have possibly taken me?' _he thought to himself.

He glanced around to get a better view of the area when one of the creatures turned his head and saw that he was awake. The creature stood up, walked up to him and knelt beside him. It seemed as if the creature was looking him over.

"You are not like the other elves in Mirkwood," he finally said.

"What do you want with me?" demanded Haldir. "And who are you?"

"Don't you know what I am, elf? If you were so smart, you'd know what I was," he asked the elf.

Haldir didn't reply, not sure what he remembered before getting knocked out. It was slowly coming back to him but it wasn't all quite there.

"I can see you obviously don't know so let me refresh your memory. You were brought here by me and my people. We haven't been formally introduced yet. My name is Banside. If you haven't been told before now, we are the gargoyles," he said. "We will have fun with you, just like the others who have passed through here before you."

"Here? Where is here? What others?" Haldir wondered.

Banside snickered as he turned around and walked away from the elf.

"You will find out soon enough but right now, there's no time for that. Stand up!" ordered Banside.

Haldir didn't want to listen to the gargoyle before slowly climbing to his feet. He was caught off guard when Banside jumped on top of him, knocking him to the ground.

'What was that for?" demanded Haldir.

He struggled to get away from the gargoyle but he found he couldn't under the gargoyle's unnatural strength.

"Be warned for we are unpredicatable creatures. I will not tolerate your defiance. What you say or do may be used against you. You will listen to us or else suffer the consequences. This is your only warning," Banside quietly warned him.

He climbed off the elf and walked over to the other side of the camp. Haldir tried to stand up again but hands grabbed and held him down while rope was tied around his ankles.

_'Looks like I won't be going anywhere anytime soon,'_ he thought to himself. _'I wonder if the others will realize when something's wrong?'_

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Galadriel stared out the window, looking for any sign of Haldir. Celeborn kept reassuring her that Haldir was fine and to not worry but she had a nagging feeling in the back of her mind that something was dreadfully wrong.

"He'll be fine. He can take care of himself. Maybe he simply lost track of time," Celeborn reassured her.

He placed a hand on her shoulder but she made no response to him at all.

"Something is wrong Celeborn. I can feel it. You know it's been hours since he left and now it's dark," she finally replied.

Thranduil watched them from across the room. He was worried as well. He knew that if any of the gargoyles were still around and found Haldir, he'd be in big trouble. He walked up to them and sighed.

"Shall I send out a search party soon or should I wait?" the king wondered.

"Not just yet. We will wait until morning and see if he returns by then. If he does not, then we will send out the troops," Celeborn said.

Galadriel sighed as her stare turned towards the trees in the westerly direction. She narrowed her eyes when she began to hear voices in her head.

_'Help me!'_ came a familiar voice.

"Haldir!" Galadriel cried out.

Celeborn and Thranduil both turned in her direction. They glanced at each other in slight confusion.

"What is the matter milady?" wondered Thranduil.

"It's Haldir. He's in trouble from something or someone. Please, send out as many of your elves as soon as you can," Galadriel asked.

Thranduil nodded before heading out of the room as quickly as he can.

"Did you see what was wrong? Maybe where he was," Celeborn wondered as Thranduil closed the door.

"No, I did not. I heard him yell out for help. I feel that whatever has happened will not bode well for Haldir," Galadriel told him.

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Legolas awoke to voices outside his room. He rose in his bed, wondering what the matter was that elves were talking so loudly at this time of night. He slowly climbed out of bed and headed for the door, opening it. Legolas watched as several guards hurried by his door.

"What is going on here?" he wondered.

He walked down the hall and arrived at his sister's room. Nanaylia has just stepped out of her room, looking tired herself. Legolas noticed that the guards were completely ignoring them.

"What happened? Have we been attacked or something like that?" she wondered.

"I am unsure. No one has told me anything. Let's go find Elladan and Elrohir. Maybe they have heard something," suggested Legolas.

Nanaylia nodded in agreement as they headed towards the room the twins were located. Legolas knocked on the door and Elrohir answered.

"Why are you waking me up so late?" he asked.

"Then you don't know why the guards are out in force either?" Legolas asked.

"Why would I know? This is your kingdom," Elrohir replied.

Elladan walked up to the door and saw the siblings standing in the hallway. He was about to ask why they were there but then he saw the guards hurrying about them.

"I have no idea what's going on but maybe we should find your father and our grandparents. Maybe we can find out from them," Elladan told Legolas and Nanaylia.

"Good idea. Maybe he will explain something," Legolas agreed.

The four immediately headed towards the study. In the back of his mind, Legolas hoped that it had nothing to do with Haldir.

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Banside walked up to Haldir, who was now sitting on the ground. The elf looked up at the gargoyle, who didn't appear happy. He grabbed Haldir roughly by the collar and pulled him to his feet. Haldir gasped out for Banside didn't stop when he was able to stand and he found himself hovering several inches off the ground. Haldir tried not to wince as the ropes pulled tightly on his ankles.

"Who are you elf? You will tell me! I know all about the elves living in Mirkwood and you are not one of them. We were lucky to come across you when we did for you were trespassing. You had just stepped onto our land when we arrived," Banside told him.

"What makes this your land?" Haldir wondered.

"It's the Dark Forest. That makes it our land. We've lived here for many generations. We've had some trouble from the elves who reside in Mirkwood before our reputation got out," Banside replied.

A female gargoyle walked over to the two and her gaze slowly went over Haldir's body. The elf thought he saw a lust in her eyes as she gazed over him before she turned towards Banside.

"Banside, the others are getting slightly agitated with the elf here. Some feel that others will soon follow, looking for him. After what happened before..." she started.

Banside remained quiet for a moment before turning to the female gargoyle.

"They don't have to worry much longer Yancha. He won't be staying here much longer. We will have our fun with him," Banside replied.

"Why not do something about it now and get it over with?" Yancha demanded to know.

"Because I'm sure this elf is friends with the royal family of Mirkwood and they'll come looking for him. They need to pay for what they've done," Banside answered.

Yancha nodded her head before stepping away from the two.

"When they come for you elf, they're going to watch you suffer terribly before we finally kill you," Banside told Haldir.

TBC...


	3. Interesting Encounters

Thranduil stared out the window as Galadriel and Celeborn sat in chairs nearby. They were patiently waiting for any news from the guards that were sent out.

"I wonder when any of them will come back with news?" wondered Thranduil.

"Hopefully soon and they'll tell us that Haldir is still alive. With the creatures that he might encounter in Mirkwood's forests, he could be anywhere. I just hope that he has not been attacked," Galadriel said.

Celeborn stood up and started to pace the room when they heard a soft knock come to the door. Thranduil called 'come in' to whoever was at the door and the door soon opened. He turned to see his children and the twins walk into the room. Legolas was the first to step forward.

"What is the matter? There are guards everywhere! I am not saying there usually aren't any around by there appears to be more than normal!" wondered Legolas.

Thranduil inwardly cringed ever so slightly. He really didn't want to have to tell the younger elves what happened just yet.

"You hesitate to tell us anything, as usual. Something has happened, hasn't it? We can possibly help you," Nanaylia told him.

The three older elves glanced at each other, a bit unsure if they should tell them. Thranduil turned towards Galadriel, wondering if he should say anything. Galadriel nodded, facing the ground. Thranduil motioned for the four to sit down, which they promptly did.

"It's Haldir. He's missing," Thranduil told them.

"What? He's missing? How?" Elladan demanded.

"We are unsure. All we really know is that he did not return and you all should know that it has been hours since he left," Galadriel told them.

The four glanced at each other before Legolas decided to speak up first.

"How can we start helping?" he wondered.

"Now wait a moment. I can't see how you can possibly help," started Thranduil.

Galadriel stood up and walked over to the king in mid sentence. He watched her out of the corner of his eye as he folded his arms across his chest.

"Let them help. We need all that we can get. What would be the harm in them just looking? I am sure that if they find anything, they will let us know," she wondered.

"I'm worried about the gargoyles. You know how dangerous they can be," Thranduil replied.

"But we don't know if the gargoyles are even still around! You told us that after Legolas defeated Manlin all those years ago, they simply disappeared. There had been no sign of them at all," Galadriel protested.

"Doesn't mean that they didn't recently return," murmured Thranduil. "But I feel that my children are capable enough to help. After all, Haldir's a friend to us all. Will you allow your grandchildren to go then?"

Galadriel and Celeborn glanced at each other before nodding. Smiles grew on the four faces and the children hurried out of the room. The three older elves watched them leave and Thranduil wondered if he was doing the right thing by allowing them to help.

"She could even help us more than what you realize," Celeborn called out to him.

Thranduil broke out of his trance and faced Celeborn. He appeared slightly puzzled by the statement and the two could tell.

"I mean that if the gargoyles are indeed back and they do have Haldir, Nanaylia could be the best one to confront them and maybe even get him out of their grasp," Celeborn told him.

Thranduil turned back towards the window and gave a slight nod.

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Yancha slowly stepped around the tree, her eyes fixed on Haldir. She carefully walked towards him as he lay on the ground near the ouskirts of the clearing. His back was facing her so he couldn't see her coming. She placed a hand on his shoulder but he turned his head to see who it was.

"I heard you coming. What do you want?" demanded Haldir.

"I want you," she replied.

Haldir gasped as he took in what she said and tried to crawl away from her but the binds on his ankles prevented him from going far. She jumped on him and pinned him down. He cried out in pain as he felt her claws slowly sink into his arms and her knees kept his legs pinned to the ground.

"You will be mine whether you like it or not," she growled.

Haldir tried to move his face away from her as she moved closer to kiss him. He gasped when she succeeded in doing so. Haldir could feel her tail moving about his legs and it was making him very nervous. Yancha could sense his restlessnes and she took her face slightly away from his.

"Am I bothering you elf? I can't understand why. Aren't you enjoying this?" she innocently asked him.

"If you call this enjoyment, I'd like to see what you call pain," Haldir replied.

She growled as she moved her tail right up his leg and he gasped once it hit his groin area. Much to his mortification, the gargoyle's tail stayed in that area of his body. Yancha soon moved her head back in towards him and started to kiss Haldir's neck and jawline. Haldir found he still couldn't move underneath her so his body was free for her to do what she will with it.

"You know, it's been a few years since a handsome elf like yourself came through here. We don't get too many elves through these woods anymore," she whispered into his ear.

"Too bad I can't call you attractive yourself. You look like you've been to Mordor and back," he replied through clenched teeth.

The gargoyle growled at him before lifting her hand and scratching him across the face. Haldir winced as he felt something wet slide down his neck from his cheek.

"You will pay for that remark," she quietly told him.

She removed one of her hand from his wrists and grabbed a rope from her waist. She wrapped one end of it around his wrists before tying the other end to a nearby tree.

"What are you going to do to me?" wondered Haldir.

"Something that you will never forget," she replied.

Her claws were now making their way through his hair. Haldir tried to shake his head in order to get the hands from him, but instead they held his face straight and he found himself looking directly at her.

"Don't try to resist. It'll only bring you more pain," she told him.

Haldir gritted his teeth as she moved further down and began to rip his clothing. He shut his eyes, not wanting to see how much damage she would do. He immediately found out that the purpose she had in mind was totally different than what he first thought. Her new intention was to injure him all over his body with her claws. He could feel the pain course through his body from the wounds and tried not to cry out in pain to give her satisfaction. Haldir heard her walk away from him and he opened up his eyes. He glanced at the wounds he could see before glacning over at the gargoyles.

_'When will they find me here?' _he thought. _'I sincerely hope it's soon otherwise I am going to be dead.'_

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"Why are we heading this way?" wondered Elladan.

"Because none of the other elves wanted to come here. Listen, if you three do not want to come, I'll head in by myself," Nanaylia replied.

"And why would you want to head in there again? I seem to remember being told what happened the first time you two went in there," Elrohir said.

"And I've lived in there for so long that I'm no longer afraid. I'm not saying he's in there for certain. I'm saying there's a possiblity he is and I don't want to pass that up," she explained.

Legolas followed her as they headed into the Dark Forest. The twins clearly remembered when they first went into this area 15 years before and they didn't want to relive the experience. When the four became closer within sight of the borders, Elladan and Elrohir stopped. Legolas and Nanaylia turned around and stared at them with confused looks.

"You're not coming with us?" Legolas asked.

"And you're leaving us?" Elladan replied.

"Listen, I can understand why the two of you don't want to join us in there. I'm not leaving Nanaylia to in there alone. Start heading back if you'd like. We're not forcing you to come with us," Legolas told them.

Elladan and Elrohir glanced at each other before shaking their heads.

"If you're heading in there, then so are we. I can remember a time when you didn't want to go back there," Elladan said.

Legolas and Nanaylia smiled at each other before they continued onwards. The four glanced around at the trees. It was eerily quiet. No chirping of the birds or no movement of the squirrels. The wind wasn't blowing and the leaves on the trees weren't even moving. The four prepared their bows in the event something would happen.

"What should we do here?" wondered Nanaylia.

"I'd say we look around this area and then move on. We stay together when we move to a different area," Legolas replied.

The four spread out to see what they could find. Elladan thought about the gargoyles he had seen before. Except through the occasional time when Nanaylia transformed, he hoped that he would never see one again.

"I sincerely hope that Haldir came nowhere near here. Legolas and Nanaylia don't often come here and they live nearby," he quietly told himself.

"Elladan, Elrohir, Nanaylia, over here!" came Legolas' voice.

Elladan turned around and hurried in the direction the voice was coming from. He soon came to a clearing where Legolas was kneeling beside a tree. Nanaylia and Elrohir were already by his side.

"This is bad," Elrohir simply stated.

"What is?" Elladan wondered.

Legolas lifted his hand to show him something and Elladan's eyes widened when he saw what it was: Haldir's bow and quiver.

"The gargoyles have him," Nanaylia said.

They all knew that it was on everyone's mind before it was even said.

TBC...


	4. A Risky Idea

Sorry for such a delay. Got occupied with work amoong other things. Well, here's the next chapter that I'm sure some of you are waiting for.

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Elladan led the way further into the forest as they continued their search for Haldir. They had manged to find a few signs that showed someone had passed recently.

"They definitely went this way. They certainly didn't fly to wherever they are now," he finally said.

"Then let's go and get him out of there," Nanaylia stated.

She started to head further into the forest when Legolas grabbed her arm. She turned towards her brother to find a worried look on his face.

"What is the matter?" she wondered.

"I'm worried about will happen to you," replied Legolas.

"About what again? Legolas, you know I can take care of myself," Nanaylia said in total disbelief.

"I realize that but these are the same gargoyles who kidnapped you, helped change you into one of them and left you for dead when everything got too tough for them," Legolas explained.

"We all know that Legolas but that didn't stop them from coming back. I know this area and I'm not afraid. At least not yet I am. Let's just go find Haldir and get him out of here. I hate to see what they're doing to him right now," Nanaylia protested.

Legolas released his sister before they headed further into the forest. Elladan and Elrohir glanced at each other as they felt the slight tension between the brother and sister. The twins could also tell that the two were also nervous, probably old memories coming back.

"I wish we didn't have to come back in here," Elladan quietly said.

"You're not the only one," agreed Elladan.

They continued to walk further into the forest, wondering if Haldir was even still alive.

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Banside walked up to Haldir, who didn't appear to notice that he was there. The gargoyle snickered before kicking Haldir in the shin. The elf slightly cringed as he glanced over at Banside.

"So nice to see that you're awake. I was wondering if you were still alive," Banside said.

"Unfortunately," Haldir said, a slight cringe in his voice.

"I saw what Yancha and you were doing earlier. I found it very entertaining if you ask me although I'm sure you wouldn't say the same," Banside told him.

Haldir growled as he watched the gargoyle pace back and forth in front of him.

"You should know that we are happy to have fun with an elf again. It has been 15 years since we last came across an elf," Banside told him. "It's funny though, the elves who were last here, you happen to know personally."

Haldir narrowed his eyes, careful to watch what the gargoyle was doing. He was very well aware of what happened 15 years ago and how Nanaylia was found.

"Were you ever told of what happened specifically in here?" Banside wondered.

Haldir thought for only a moment before a look of shock crossed his face. No one really wanted to tell him everything that happened, particularly not. Haldir looked away, not knowing what to say.

"Did Thranduil ever tell of you of what he did?" Banside told him.

"What did he do?" asked Haldir.

"He didn't tell you that he actually stayed behind in here to try and save his son? Legolas was mentally and physically injured when we brought him here all those years ago," Banside told him.

Haldir tried not to show his surprise as he continued to follow Banside's movements.

"We even brought Thranduil, the great king of Mirkwood, to his knees in his own palace," Banside said.

He turned and took a few steps away from Haldir, a laugh sneaking its way into his voice.

"I only wish that Legolas hadn't realized the truth about his sister's death. We had them right where we wanted them," Banside put in.

Haldir growled as he listened to the gargoyle. Banside stepped up to Haldir's side and the elf wondered what he was going to do. Haldir closed his eyes and prepared for the worst. Banside smirked at the elf's reaction as he moved closer.

"You don't worry just yet elf. Nothing's going to happen to you. At least not yet," Banside told him.

The gargoyle stood up and began to walk away from Haldir, who carefully watched him. Banside quickly turned around and kicked Haldir in the chest, the air wooshing out of the elf's lungs. He gasped for air as Banside walked away from him.

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Galadriel watched the flame on the candle as it flickered in front of her face. Thranduil and Celeborn were both pacing back and forth. Barely anything had been said between them for hours and all of them could feel the tension that was slowly rising in the room.

"They're getting close," Galadriel suddenly said out loud.

Thranduil and Celeborn stopped their pacing and turned to face her.

"Who's close to what?" Celeborn wondered.

"The children. They're close to where Haldir is being held captive. I can sense it," she replied.

"I sincerely hope they can him out of there without any problems. I'd hate to see someone injured again," Thranduil admitted.

Galadriel sighed before glancing out the window. In the back of her mind, she knew someone would be hurt before the whole situation was over but she wasn't sure exactly who yet. She didn't want to tell Thranduil or Celeborn for she didn't want to make them worried if nothing happened in the end.

"Please let them come back safe," she murmured.

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Elladan walked up to one of the trees and placed his hand on the trunk. His brother stood nearby and crossed his arms.

"I never thought we'd back back here again so soon," Elrohir muttered.

"I know what you mean. I hope we find Haldir soon so we can get out of here," agreed Elladan.

The twins headed towards where Nanaylia and Legolas were standing nearby.

"We've been searching for hours Legolas, do you really think that he's in here somewhere?" wondered Nanaylia.

"He has to be in here. He wouldn't be missing if he wasn't," Legolas replied.

"Not necessarily. He could have easily gotten injured somewhere else in these woods. It is big and dangerous in here or have you forgotten that?" wondered Nanaylia.

She crossed her arms and stared at her brother. Legolas turned and it soon became a staring contest.

"Quiet, both of you. We have a problem," Elladan quietly yelled at them.

His brother and friends glanced over at him to see that he was motioning to them to head towards his direction. They silently walked over to him to find out what he was looking at. They gasped as they stared at the gargoyles in the clearing before them.

"I can't believe there are so many!" Legolas barely said.

Elrohir's stare went over the group and his eyes lit up in hope when he saw Haldir laying near a tree on the outskirts of the clearing. The bad part about it was that he was on the other side.

"There he is, now how are we going to get him out of there?" wondered Elrohir.

"The only way I know how to. I say once I get in there, the three of you get back to the palace. I can take care of things here after I'm reaquainted with them," replied Nanaylia.

The three were all shocked by her idea. Legolas opened his mouth to protest but Nanaylia held up her hand to stop him.

"There's only one way to possibly get him out of there and all of you know this is it," she simply stated.

Legolas bit his tongue and nodded, the look of protest still obvious on his face. The three watched her, not liking this idea at all.

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Banside sat down next to the fire, keeping an eye on the prisoner nearby. He picked up a few pieces of meat and placed them in his mouth. He slowly chewed as Haldir watched him with a worried eye.

"This might be you sooner or later. We don't get too much to eat here," Banside told him.

"Thanks for the warning," Haldir replied, a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

Banside turned towards Haldir and carefully watched him.

"Did you know that there aren't too many gargoyles left? We're trying to reproduce but there are many factors preventing us from doing so. Most of what's left is right here but there are a few who are elsewhere," Banside told him.

"Really? About how many, would you say, are not here?" wondered Haldir.

"Well, there's Shentree and Sathed for starters. I haven't seen them in years but I know they're still alive. I wouldn't know exactly how many others there are besides them," Banside replied.

"Have you forgotten about me already? I'm so devestated!" came a strangely familiar voice.

Banside quickly stood up and took a defensive stance. Haldir glanced in the direction that Banside was staring in and his eyes flashed surprise. The gargoyle smirked once he saw who it was and immediately drew out of his defensive stand. He crossed his arms and began to laugh.

"How good it is to see you again Narcissis," Banside told her.

Narcissis stepped into the light of the fire and smiled at him, arms crossed.

"It's good to be back," she said.

TBC...


	5. The Ruse Begins

"Narcissis, what brings you back in here?" Banside wondered.

"Why do you think I came back? To rejoin my people!" came the angry reply.

Banside gave a humph! in reply, a small smile crossing his face. He walked over to her, not noticing that all eyes were on them. He held out his hand towards her but she knocked it away.

"_You _left me to die with those stinking elves. You're going to have to prove your trust to me again," she snarled at him.

Banside began to growl as the two began to circle each other. Haldir glanced between the two, wondering what was going to happen next.

"It was indeed a mistake to leave you behind but it was unavoidable. If we were able to get you out, we would have," Banside told her.

Narcissis carefully watched him as she began to head towards Haldir. She studied the elf as he watched her. Haldir didn't know what to expect from this new gargoyle. Considering the actions the others had given him already, he wasn't expecting anything too pleasant from this one either.

"How'd you catch him?" she wondered.

"We found him alone near the edge of our territory. We plan to deal with him soon before someone comes to look for him," Banside replied.

Narciccis smirked as she grabbed Haldir's wrist with her tail. He cringed slightly in pain as his eyes watched her every move.

"He still has some life left in him. It would be a pleasure to take it out of him," she told him.

"Of course it will but that will happen later. Some of us should be heading out to hunt for food. Keep watch over everyone until we get back," Banside told her.

Narcissis gave a nod of her head, crossing her arms. Banside gave her a smirk, turning around as he watched her. He narrowed his eyes before fully turning away from her. Narcissis watched him leave the campsite with several others before turning towards Haldir. She cocked her head to one side and gave a small laugh once she noticed that he was trying to get away from her.

"Believe it or not elf, I'm the last one you have to worry about," she told him.

A confused look crossed Haldir's face and Narcissis laughed once she saw him. She knelt beside him, very well knowing that she would have some explaining to do.

"How can I believe you? To me, you're all just the same," Haldir told him.

Narcissis stood up and turned away from. Haldir tried to comfortably lay on the ground in order to get some rest. He watched her as she moved her head enough to look at him.

"Believe what you want right now but you'll see it my way soon enough," she told him.

Haldir gave a deep sigh as he watched her head towards the fire. He knew he wouldn't find any sleep while he was there.

00000

Legolas, Elladan and Elrohir ran into view of the guards just outside the prince's home. The elves were curious as to why the younger elves were in such a hurry.

"Prince Legolas, what is the matter?" one of them asked.

"Where is my father? We realy need to talk to him for what we bring is very urgent," Legolas replied.

"He's in his study with Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn," came the reply

They pointed the way and the three hurried in that direction, not even bothering with the guards.

"I only hope that we get back to them in time. I hated to leave her in with those _things_ alone," Elladan muttered.

"Even though Haldir's with her, I don't think he's in the shape to help," agreed Elrohir.

Legolas didn't say anything as they hurried to see his father. He really wasn't in the mood to talk much as they found the door. They almost slammed the door open, revealing three startled elves.

"Legolas, Elladan, Elrohir, where's Nanaylia?" demanded Thranduil.

"We found the gargoyles and Haldir is indeed with them. Nanaylia stayed behind to see if she could get him out," came the reply from Elrohir.

Thranduil was stunned and he showed it on his face. He didn't want it to come to that way but it did anyway. Celeborn and Galadriel gave a glance between each other before he walked up to the three.

"Lead us to them," he told them.

Everyone stared at him, confused. Elrohir and Elladan blinked their eyes a few times as they stared at their grandfather.

"You cannot be serious," Elladan said.

"I am serious. We will take out a few guards with us. We have to get them out of there before she is found out and something serious happens to either of them," Celeborn explained.

Thranduil lowered as his eyes as he listened to what Celeborn was saying and knew he was correct: Nanaylia's ruse would only work so long.

"All right, let's go," Thranduil finally said.

The king walked out of the room, with Celebrn, Legolas and the twins following closely behind him. Galadriel remained behind, the worry growing even more within her mind.

_'Please let them all come home safe,' _she thought to herself.

00000

Narcissis glanced repeatedly between the few gargoyles who hadn't gone out to hunt and Haldir. The elf had barely moved since she arrived on the scene and she was greatly worried because of it. She walked over to him unnoticed and placed a hand on his shoulder. His head perked up at the movement and turned it enough to see who it was.

"How are you doing?" she barely asked.

"Like you would care," he replied.

"Yes, I do. I am not like the others Haldir," Narcissis told him.

Haldir's head perked up in interest when he heard his name. He slowly turned his body so that he was facing her.

"What did you say?" he questioned.

"I told you that I'm not like the others," she repeated.

"My name. You said my name. They didn't tell you what it is because they don't even know that," he said.

The gargoyle gave him a comforting smile. She sat down next to him, keeping an eye on the others. When she was certain that no one was watching, she leaned in closer to him.

"Believe me when I say that help is on the way. Hold on a little bit longer," she told him.

Haldir felt immense relief when he heard her say that. He watched her as she glanced over to the group of gargoyles returning to the camp. She climbed to her feet and started over to them in order to greet them back. Yancha growled once she noticed the other female walking away from Haldir.

"Welcome back. How was the hunt?" wondered Narcissis.

Banside didn't answer, carefully keeping an eye on Yancha. Narcissis' stare turned in her direction, knowing that all was not well.

"Get away from the elf! He's mine!" Yancha warned her.

"I thought he was all of ours. Who's to say that he belongs exclusively to you?" Narcissis snarled back.

Yancha growled as she stepped towards the paler gargoyle, who took a fighting stance. Narcissis narrowed her eyes as she watched Yancha stepped closer to her. Yancha soon came within inches of Narcissis' face, who remained calm and unfazed.

"I know what you're up to Narcissis. You can't hide it from me any further," Yancha quietly told her.

Narcissis gave a small gasp in surprise, hoping that they hadn't found out yet.

TBC...

Sorry for such a long update.


	6. A Change in Plans

Sorry for such a long update. Between having a bit of a writer's block, my grandmother moving and moving myself, I didn't have a chance to do this.

00000

"You know what I planned? Tell me then, what do I have planned?" wondered Narcissis.

"You're going to be snatching him out right out from underneath our noses, using him as your own personal slave," Yancha growled.

Narcissis gave an angry look at Yancha. She didn't like the assumption, even though it was half true. Indeed, she was going to take him away, but not as a slave.

"I can't outsmart you. You've figured me out after such a short time after I arrived," Narcissis said.

She backed away from Haldir, who carefully eyed her every movement. Yancha noticed this and stormed up to him, kicking him in the stomach.

"You will only pay attention to me! You are mine and will be to your death," she hissed at him.

Haldir gritted his teeth, not wanting to show a lot of pain. He carefully watched her moving around him as Narcissis began to head away from them. Banside crossed his arms, watching her as she did so. Yancha noticed his actions and headed back over to his side.

"What are you thinking?" she wondered.

"I feel Narcissis has been comprised somehow. She is not the same as she once was," Banside quietly told her.

Yancha narrowed her eyes as she stared at Narcissis, who was now sitting near the fire, her back towards them. She gave a laugh as she placed her foot on Haldir's stomach, claws extended. Narcissis tried not to listen as the sound of the elf's quiet groans of pain filled her ears.

00000

"Are you sure we should be doing this? I mean, they could know that we are coming and could be waiting for us when we arrive at the boundaries," wondered Elladan.

"That's the problem, we don't but we have to take the risk if we want to get Haldir and Nanaylia out of there alive," Celeborn replied.

The twins walked up to the edge of the Dark Forest. The branches loomed out over them and it made the twins nervous.

"Why have I never noticed that before?" wondered Elrohir.

"Noticed what?" wondered his brother.

"Noticed those before," Elrohir replied, indicating the trees. "For some strange reason, they seem to feel more eerie than previous visits."

Elladan stared at the branches as the group began to head into the forest. Legolas glanced back to the twins as did Celeborn. The lord turned his stare to Thranduil, who had already begun to head into the woods. Everyone soon began to follow his lead, wondering where the king was leading them.

"You seem to know where you're going," commented Celeborn.

"I have been through these woods many times before, even though very few elves know it," Thranduil replied.

Elladan gave a very surprised look as did his brother. Legolas was more surprised than both of them put together for he never realized how much his father knew about the forest.

"There is so much I do not know about my parents," muttered Legolas.

00000

Narcissis paced back and forth as she stared at Yancha, who kept her eyes on Narcissis. The paler gargoyle gave an aggravated sigh before she headed out into the forest. She climbed up into the trees and began to make her way from one branch to another.

She moved several hundred yards away from the camp when she stopped. She sat on the branch and gave a deep sigh.

"This is becoming so aggravating. It is going to be so difficult to get Haldir out of there. I wonder how I will be able to do this without help," she whispered.

Narcissis perked up her ears when she faintly heard something in the distance. She began to head in the direction she heard the sounds come from. She wasn't surprised when she came across a small group of elves, quietly talking amongst themselves.

"Gargoyles indeed! There have been no sign of them for years now. Even before that, we had very little trouble from them," she heard one guard say.

"I agree. What trouble are we going to have from them anymore? I do not think that Haldir is out here in this part of the kingdom. He is probably lost," the one beside him said.

Both chuckled but that was soon stopped when Legolas grabbed one of them by the collar. The other stepped back in surprise.

"Do not say something like that ever again! The gargoyles are still a threat now as they were centuries ago," Legolas reprimanded.

The two nodded in reply as Thranduil stepped towards his son.

"Legolas, release him. We cannot change what others think," he said.

Legolas glared at the guard as he released the elf and moved towards his father. Thranduil placed an arm around his son's shoulders.

"Are you going to be fine Legolas?" Thranduil quietly asked him.

Legolas nodded when he heard a rustling in the trees. He turned his head towards the noise and so did everyone else. Celeborn narrowed his eyes as the guards prepared their bows.

"Wait! Don't shoot!" he cried.

"Why shouldn't we fire? We can see that it is a gargoyle preparing to attack," one of the guards said.

Growling could be heard as the gargoyle jumped down from the branches. She circled the guards, who kept their eyes on her.

"If you attack me, then you will never find Haldir and get him out of his prison," she warned them.

Thranduil stepped forward, with Legolas close behind him.

"What news do you bring?" he questioned.

"Their camp is some distance from here but you will never get him out of there alive if you go in by force. There is one female gargoyle there who has already staked her claim on him. If you could give me some more time, I would be able to give you a better chance to get him out of here," she told them.

"Certainly. Take all the time you need," Thranduil said.

The guards stared in disbelief at their king, who turned towards them a glare that said' don't mess with me'.

"You cannot be serious! She is a gargoyle!" said one.

"One who is trying to help us. If you have a problem with that, you can certainly head back to the palace," Thranduil angrily replied.

The guards stepped back and didn't say another word as Legolas turned to Narcissis..

"Which direction is the camp in?" he asked.

Narcissis glanced around the area before fixing on a direction and giving gesture with her hand. Thranduil stood beside her, hoping that the gargoyles weren't expecting them or Narcissis to get Haldir out of there.

"You better head back before they notice that you have been gone for too long," he quietly suggested. "But do your best to give Haldir a chance to get out of there."

She nodded before climbing back into the trees and disappeared out of sight, never noticing the pair of eyes watching her from the shadows.

00000

Narcissis stepped back into the camp to find Haldir laying on his stomach, Yancha standing over him.

"What did you do to him now, Yancha?" she wondered.

"He tried to resist, so I decided to teach him a lesson," Yancha said with a smile.

Narcissis tried to assess Haldir's injuries from the angle she was looking from. She noticed a gash on his stomach that was bleeding but she had no idea when he received it. She was worried about blood loss now.

"If it is fine with you, I will watch him tonight," Narcissis told her,

The two stared at each other before Yancha nodded her head and began to walk away. She took a few steps before turning enough to look at her.

"If I find that you did anything with him, I will kill you myself," Yancha warned her.

Narcissis smirked, crossing her arms as she watched Yancha move to the other side of the camp. She sat down next to Haldir, hoping that he would live through the night.

00000

Legolas lifted his head slightly to see the gargoyles milling about, unawares on how close the elves were to their location. He surveyed the scene before heading back to the other elves. Celeborn watched as the younger elf as he stepped back into the group.

"Were you seen?" he wondered.

"No. The gargoyles are spread out over the camp. Haldir and Narcissis are here," Legolas said.

He made a drawing in the ground with a nearby stick. Celeborn and Thranduil studied it carefully before glancing at each other.

"We should wait until the right moment. We have to give her enough time to get him out of there," Celeborn said.

Thranduil nodded in agreement as he glanced over his shoulder, in the direction of the camp.

00000

Banside stepped up to the fire, turning towards Narcissis once he reached the burning embers. Her eyes watched him from her position beside Haldir and never said a word as he walked over to Yancha. Banside quietly talk to her, nodding in reply.

Narcissis tried to move closer to see if she could hear what Banside what telling her. She couldn't hear all of it but what she heard, startled her.

"…We have to get rid of him now. It's too dangerous for him to be in our hands alive any longer," Banside said.

Narcissis grew surprised before silently hurrying back to Haldir. She gently shook his shoulder and he wakened enough to look at her.

"We have to leave now," was all she said.

"Why?" he wondered.

"They are going to kill you," Narcissis replied.

TBC…


	7. The Means for Escape

Narcissis quickly helped Haldir to his feet. She snapped the rope in half, freeing his feet. She moved enough to allow him to climb onto her back.

'_This is really starting to get old,'_ she thought to herself.

She moved to her hands and feet before glancing back at Banside and Yancha. So far, they hadn't seen her.

"Are you ready?" she asked him.

"Yes," Haldir replied.

He hung on as much as he could since his limbs were so sore from the beatings he suffered. Narcissis glanced over her shoulder back at the gargoyles before starting to head into the forest.

"Narcissis, how did you come to know the elves?" wondered Haldir.

"They captured me several years ago when Manlin, the rest of the gargoyles and I tried to take over the kingdom. The elves saved my life and I saw the light," she explained.

She hurried several feet into the forest before glancing back at the camp. She gave a sigh when she saw that no one had apparently seen them leave.

"We should hurry. Help is not far off," Narcissis told him.

Haldir gave a small nod as he felt himself begin to move further into the forest. He slightly closed his eyes, feeling freedom encase him once again as if he hadn't felt it for ages.

"So close," he whispered.

"Yes, we are. Once we find them, you will be able to heal," Narcissis quietly told him.

00000

Yancha walked over to the place where Haldir was kept prisoner. She saw that he was nowhere to be seen and Narcissis was also missing. She growled before hurrying back to Banside.

"The prisoner has escaped! Narcissis must have taken him!" she angrily told him.

Banside eyes narrowed in confusion as he glanced over to the area near the trees where the elf was last seen. He gave one deep breath before coming to a conclusion.

"Narcissis," he quietly said.

"But why would she want with him?" Yancha wondered.

"She wouldn't unless she's working with the elves to save him. She is not Narcissis but Nanaylia in disguise!" Banside growled.

He stood in the middle of the camp and no one took any attention.

"The prisoner is missing and so is Narcissis! We have to find them!" Banside cried out.

The gargoyles took notice of what he said and began to scramble around camp, some grabbing a few belongings, others grabbing weapons.

"Some should stay back and wait for her friends to show up. They're no doubt on their way or already here waiting for the right time," Banside called to the crowd.

A few nodded and stood behind as the others stepped up to Banside and Yancha.

"Narcissis is no longer a friend to us. If you should all remember how she came to be with us and how she abruptly left, you should know that she's helping her family get this elf to safety of the palace," Banside told the group.

Everyone nodded before starting to head off into the forest. Banside watched them leave for a moment before following them, an evil smile on his face for he knew he had her.

00000

Legolas glanced around the tree, bow in hand. The twins were not far off and neither were his father and their grandfather. The guards slowly followed as they inched their way towards the camp.

"Be careful everyone. We don't know if they're expecting us or not or how many there will be," Celeborn cautioned.

Everyone gave a nod in reply as they hurried towards the camp. Elladan glanced into the clearing to see the gargoyles. He motioned to the others and they all jumped into the clearing, weapons ready. A couple of gargoyles screeched and began to scatter. Arrows flew towards the ones with weapons, hitting them in the shoulders.

"I expected to see more of them by what we were told," Elrohir mused.

"That's because they're not all here!" Thranduil replied.

His entire face drained of colour as he walked over to one of the gargoyles lying on the ground.

"Where is the rest of your group?" he demanded.

"They're after your infiltrator. She's going to be dead soon enough along with her friend," the gargoyle snarled back.

Thranduil glanced towards the forest, fear overcoming him. He twirled his head around to stare at the surrounding trees.

"No," he barely said.

"We have to find them!" Celeborn said.

The lord began to head back into the forest when Elladan and Elrohir stopped him.

"What about the gargoyles here?" wondered Elladan.

"I say we forget about them for now. Right now, they're not the threat," he explained.

Everyone turned their focus to Thranduil, who glanced between everyone present.

"So, where do you want to start looking?" he wondered.

00000

Narcissis leaped over the branch standing in her way, hoping that Haldir would not fall off along the way.

"Hold on Haldir, we're almost there. Once we're with the elves, you will have no more worried about the other gargoyles," she reassured him.

Haldir heard her but didn't want to answer. He almost couldn't and he wanted to but he wasn't sure he was able. His only fear in the back of his mind was the gargoyles realizing that they were missing almost immediately and find them.

"You seem to know these woods well," he croaked.

"After being forced to live in here for centuries, one would get used to where every branch, every tree, every shadow is located," she replied.

She jumped over a rotting log into a small clearing. Haldir lifted his head to glance around the area. Narcissis was slowly shaking her head as she stepped further into the area.

"They were near here, I know it!" she sighed. "They must have headed towards the camp to get us out of there."

She paced back and forth a few times before hearing branches moving behind her. Narcissis turned around, hoping that it was the other elves.

"There you are! I was so worried…" she started.

Narcissis stopped when she saw Banside and Yancha walked out of the trees, followed by several others.

"You really thought you could get away with this Narcissis?" Banside asked her.

Narcissis growled as she watched Banside slowly walk towards her. She didn't say anything and she didn't want to.

"The elf belongs to us now. You are greatly outnumbered so you will not get out of the forest alive. Neither of you," Banside told her.

Yancha smiled smugly as she walked up to them and pulled Haldir off Narcissis' back. The paler gargoyle reached for Haldir and managed to grab his wrist. Narcissis punched Yancha in the face and she retaliated.

"You will pay for that you traitor!" she cried.

Haldir found himself landing hard on the ground. It took him a moment to catch his breath and for the pain to subside in his now aching shoulder. He watched as Narcissis stood between him and the other gargoyles. Banside moved towards Narcissis, who took a defensive position. He leaned in towards her ear and his eyes gave a smile as did his mouth.

"Don't forget that even though we allowed you to live with us, you're not one of us and you never will be," Banside quietly reminded her.

He stepped towards Haldir and lifted the club over the elf. Narcissis immediately took notice and jumped towards them.

00000

Thranduil ran through the trees, the others trying to keep up with him.

"Father, you do realize that they could be anywhere by now?" Legolas wondered.

Thranduil gritted his teeth, ignoring his son but knowing he was right. The king continued through the trees, despite this knowledge. Celeborn narrowed his eyes as he carefully watched Thranduil. He appeared almost desperate to find the two.

Elladan and Elrohir were hurrying beside Legolas and they were all concerned. All of them continued on until Legolas noticed a nearby clearing.

"Wait a moment!" he called to the others.

Everyone else stopped and turned to watch Legolas as he stepped through the trees into the clearing.

"By the Valar!" he cried out.

The other elves hurried up behind Legolas to see a startling sight: Narcissis was lying on top of an unconscious Haldir and she had a large bruise on her back.

TBC…


	8. An Invisible Friend

"Oh no!" cried Thranduil.

He hurried over to their sides and he was rewarded with a groan. The gargoyle's eyes flickered open enough to see him.

"I am very sorry that I couldn't find you in time," she quietly apologized.

"You do not need to apologize but we have to get the two of you back to the palace," Thranduil told her.

He gently picked her up, allowing the guards to get to Haldir. They quickly began to move towards the palace, yet carefully for they were unsure of the extent of his injuries. Celeborn was becoming increasingly nervous by each passing moment. Elrohir noticed his grandfather's edginess and stepped up to him.

"What is the matter? You appear worried," he wondered.

"It is the gargoyles I am worried about. It is apparent these two came into contact with them soon after they left the camp and before we arrived. Why would the gargoyles simply leave them? I fear a trap," Celeborn quietly replied.

Elrohir nodded his head, not bothering to ask any more questions. He hurried to his brother's side, who appeared worried himself.

"Do you think they may be close?" Elladan suddenly asked.

Elrohir was slightly surprised by the question but shrugged his shoulders.

"Who knows? I can only hope they are far away by now," Elrohir told him.

Thranduil took notice of the area and sighed once he saw the trees. Legolas did as well as he fell back to the side of the twins.

"We are almost out of here. The trees definitely do not look as dead here," he assured them.

The group stepped beyond the boundaries of the Dark Forest and all felt relieved to be out of the dangerous area. Thranduil took one last glance at the trees before turning around to come face to face with Banside.

"Well, well, well, what have we got here?" the gargoyle asked.

Others dropped out from the sky like rain and surrounded the group. Banside stepped toward the king, who still held Narcissis in his arms. Legolas stood close behind his father, prepared for the worst.

"Thranduil, did you really think that you could get away with this charade? Send her into our camp and believe that we would never figure out the truth? You may know about us and our ways but you have forgotten how smart and unpredictable we are," Banside smirked.

The king growled as he stared at the gargoyle standing before him. Thranduil stepped back a few times, hoping that Banside wouldn't get any closer.

"Don't even think about moving. None of you are going anywhere yet," Banside barely said.

He stepped toward the king again only to be stopped by an arrow embedded in the ground directly sitting next to his foot. His eyes moved towards Legolas, bow in hand.

"Get away from them," Legolas coldly said.

"What makes you think that _you_ can stop us? The last time we met, you were so pitiful that you couldn't even keep your head up straight," Banside spat at him.

Banside glanced between the king and prince before raising one hand. Thranduil hoped that it didn't mean to attack.

"We will allow your friends here to leave. The elf that was captured by us, though, has to stay and you, your son and the gargoyle have to remain as well," Banside quietly told the king.

Thranduil paled once he heard the gargoyle speak those words. Out of the corner of his eyes, he watched the others. Celeborn stepped up to Thranduil and crossed his arms.

"If you want them, you are also getting me," Celeborn angrily said.

Elladan and Elrohir were both horrified and it showed on their faces. They stepped up to Celeborn's side, who didn't look to either one of them.

"Elladan, Elrohir, go back to the palace with the guards. We will stay here," Celeborn sternly told them.

"But…" Elladan started to protest.

"Go! I know what I am doing!" the lord yelled out.

He leaned in towards Elladan slightly, who appeared to wince at his grandfather's words.

"You will just be in the way here. Please leave!" he ordered in a hushed tone.

The guards gently placed Haldir on the ground and slowly started to make their way back to the palace with the twins, who were continually glancing over their shoulder back at them. The gargoyles watched as the small group faded into the trees before turning back to the rest of the group.

"Now that they're gone, we can have our prizes back," Banside told him.

He held out a hand towards the king, who remained still. He didn't want to hand anyone else over to the gargoyles ever again.

"I have known for centuries what your habits are like but you forget how we act. You have barely seen any elves for some time now," Thranduil calmly told them.

Banside growled as he walked up to Thranduil and slapped him across the face. The king's head snapped to the side with the impact. He kept it still for several moments before turning to face Banside again, scratches lining the one side of his face.

"We are at war, elf. We have been for centuries. Your daughter was one of the casualties," Banside said.

"No thanks to you or Manlin," protested Thranduil.

Neither of them noticed Yancha slowly making her way towards Haldir. Legolas noticed her just as she made it to his side. He narrowed her eyes as he watched her grasp his hair and pull his head up.

"He is of no more use to us. He will not last. We should kill them all right now!" Yancha called over to Banside.

She grabbed Haldir's wrist and forcibly pulled him up until he was dangling in the air. Every part of his body hung limp and Celeborn's jaw dropped at the sight. Thranduil nor Legolas could believe it either.

"This is hopeless Father. We're never going to get out of this!" Legolas protested.

Thranduil gritted his teeth, knowing his son was correct in his statement. He didn't say anything, not noticing that Narcissis was slowly becoming conscious in his arms. She barely opened her eyes and gave the tiniest of smiles.

"Mother?" she said.

Thranduil heard the word and glanced down at the gargoyle. He gave a sad smile before shaking his head.

"I am your father. Your mother is dead," he quietly told her.

"I know you are here but I also see Mother. You cannot see her Father? She is right there," she replied.

She lifted up her arm and managed to point to an area behind Thranduil. He glanced in the direction she was aiming and still saw nothing, the confusion written plainly on his face.

'_What is she talking about?'_ he had to ask himself.

Legolas watched his father before turning his stare to Haldir. The time it took for Legolas to turn away from the injured elf seemed like an eternity. He reached back for an arrow but his arm felt as heavy as lead and it did not want to move.

00000

Galadriel's eyes perked open, hearing the doors open to the room, revealing Elladan and Elrohir. They ran up to her, telling her about what happened but she was not listening to their story.

"You seem to have gotten here fast enough. How is that possible? The border of that dangerous area is some distance away," she interrupted.

The twins stopped their talking and glanced at each other. Both had confused stares on their faces before turning back to their grandmother.

"We are unsure how we arrived. I remember leaving Thranduil and the others near the border, the next thing we know, we are in sight of the palace," Elladan replied.

Galadriel's stare turned towards the window, amazement written on her face.

"Would it be possible that there are some still alive and there is someone who is helping us? But why would they help us?" Galadriel wondered out loud.

She slowly climbed to her feet as the twins glanced at each other in confusion as they wondered who she was talking about.

00000

Thranduil felt the air around him drop in temperature. He turned his stare towards his son, who appeared to be ready to release the arrow but it appeared his arm wouldn't allow him.

"What are you doing here?" Banside cried out.

Thranduil turned towards Banside, who was in total fear. He was staring in the direction of the king, only past him. The gargoyle growled, stepping back from the group.

"Fine then," Banside snarled.

He faced the king once again, motioning to the others all the while to follow.

"You win this one elf but I assure you the next time any of us meet, you will not be so lucky," Banside told them.

Yancha dropped Haldir to the ground in a heap before reluctantly following the others into the trees. The four elves were all confused by the situation, particularly Legolas, who snapped out of his trance.

"What happened?" he wondered.

"I have no idea but I believe someone has helped us," Celeborn said.

"One way or another, we should hurry back. I am certain that we will find out later what has happened here," Thranduil told them.

TBC…


	9. The Truth Eluded

Haldir's eye twitched. He wanted to open them but something was stopping him. Haldir heard himself groan and felt his head moveto one side.

"Haldir, can you hear me?" a familiar voice called out.

He lifted a hand, reaching for his head as throbbing headache began to emerge. He barely opened his eyes to see Galadriel sitting next to the bed. He managed to make out the form of Celeborn standing next to her.

"How am I… still alive?" he managed to croak out.

"Narcissis saved your life. She went into the gargoyle camp after you and managed to get you out of there before anything serious happened," Galadriel replied.

His foggy mind soon began to clear, the memories of his recent capture beginning to come back to him. He tried to bolt into a sitting position but four hands prevented him from doing so.

"Where do you think you are going?" a stern voice asked him. "You are not well enough to be moving."

He squinted to see who was standing next to the bed, talking to him. He managed to make out the forms of Elladan and Elrohir.

"Where is she now?" Haldir barely asked.

"Who are you talking about? Narcissis? She is in a room down the hall and she is going to live," Elladan replied.

Haldir managed to give a small smile, oblivious to everyone's slightly worried faces around him. Celeborn walked over to the nearby window. Galadriel, Elladan and Elrohir all carefully watched him, curious to what was going through his mind.

"What is the matter?" wondered Galadriel.

"It is what happened after Elladan, Elrohir and the others had left. The gargoyles were prepared to attack us when they simply did not and left without question. I wish I could explain it," Celeborn explained.

Galadriel thought about it for a moment before shaking her head.

"I do not understand it myself. I wonder if we will ever find out the truth?" she mused.

Elladan and Elrohir each gave a sigh, not knowing what to think themselves. All they could really do was wait.

00000

Thranduil sat at his daughter's side, watching her transformation back into an elf. He could tell that she was in huge amounts of pain from her injuries. He barely registered a knock at the door and it opening. Legolas stepped up to his father with a plate of food.

"You should eat. You haven't touched anything that was brought up since we brought her back here," Legolas told him.

Thranduil nodded, knowing that his son was correct but even now, he wasn't up to eating anything until he knew his daughter was going to be safe. Legolas gave a small sigh as he placed the food on a nearby table and sat himself down next to his father.

"She will be all right. She is strong," Legolas assured him.

Legolas placed a comforting hand on his father's arm when they heard a groan come from the bed. They snapped to attention as they realized that Nanaylia was stirring.

"Nanaylia?" he quietly called to her.

It appeared she heard him for he saw her slightly open her eyes. She turned in his direction and managed to give him a smile.

"Father, am I really home?" she barely managed to ask.

"Yes, you are. Haldir is alive and recovering, all thanks to you," Thranduil told her.

She gave a relieved smile as she turned her head away from them. Both Legolas and Thranduil gave sighs of relief, now waiting for her to completely heal.

00000

Haldir unsteadily walked down the hallway. He kept one hand along the wall, aiding his way along when Elladan came into view. He rushed to Haldir's side once he realized who it was.

"You should not be up walking around just yet!" the younger elf protested.

"I have to find Narcissis and properly thank her for saving my life," Haldir replied through gritted teeth.

Before Elladan could say anymore, Haldir managed to push past him in his search for the gargoyle. Elladan cautiously followed Haldir and they soon came across Nanaylia's room as she stepped out of it. She placed a hand over her mouth and gave a startled gasp. Haldir noticed that the female elf placed a hand over her stomach and became worried.

"Nanaylia, what is the matter?" he questioned.

"N…nothing is wrong. W…why do you ask?" she stuttered.

Haldir narrowed his eyes in confusion, knowing that something was wrong but he couldn't figure out what. He suddenly took notice of the slight pain she was suffering with.

"Are you injured? How is that possible?" he wondered.

"I was…out helping in your search and I attacked by one of the gargoyles," she managed to say.

Haldir's eyes grew sad before stepping past her. Elladan walked up to Nanaylia's side, noticing the guilty look her face was now sporting.

"Why didn't you tell him the truth?" he wondered.

"I couldn't at the last moment. I grew scared, even though it was Haldir. He deserves to know after what happened but please do not tell him. I need to be the one who tells him," Nanaylia requested.

Elladan was a little surprised with the request but agreed with the request as they watched Haldir walk out of their sight in his search for Narcissis.

00000

"After all this, I am very disturbed," Thranduil said.

Celeborn glanced over at the king, snapping out of his trance from beside the window. He motioned for the king to continue, curious to what Thranduil was about to say.

"There are gargoyles still in the forest after and Banside is one of them. If he's around, who's to say that Shentree and Sathed aren't around somewhere nearby?" Thranduil wondered.

Celeborn nodded in agreement before turning his stare back out the window. Thranduil watched him carefully as he climbed to his feet.

"It was unfortunate we had to find out this way. I can only hope that any of us do not meet any of those creatures anytime soon," Thranduil said.

"I agree. If we do, it will be all too soon," Celeborn said.

Thranduil looked out the window, a sense of dread overwhelming him. Inwardly, he panicked for he didn't know what it meant.

'_By the Valar, I hope my children are going to be safe,'_ he thought to himself.

The End

Thanks to everyone who read, and to those who reviewed. (I appreciate every one I get)


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